MineArchiveCroft Pit explosion, 1828
On the evening of Wednesday 6 August 1828 a sudden discharge of firedamp in the Earl of Lonsdale's Croft Pit at Whitehaven spread into distant workings and was fired by the miners there. Six men died; others were burnt.
| Date | 6 August 1828 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Croft Pit, Whitehaven |
| Region | Cumbria |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 6 (Six named; contemporary reports gave five killed, or three killed outright and two dying later.) |
| Injuries | Two burnt, expected to recover. |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A sudden, extensive discharge of firedamp that the ventilation could not carry off, fired in distant workings.
What happened
The explosion followed what the local paper called a sudden and extensive discharge of gas, more than the whole ventilation of the pit could deal with, which spread into distant and unsuspected parts of the workings and was met and ignited by the men there. Three were killed outright and two more died after being brought out; two others were burnt but recovered.
Those killed are given as Peter Wilson, Isaac Lorton, George Mebbins, Frank Bradshaw, Nathaniel Munro, aged 20, of Newhouses, buried at St Nicholas's on the 8th, and William Attlebarrow. The Carlisle Journal, reporting five dead, said such accidents were of frequent occurrence in Lord Lonsdale's pits, rejected the excuse that the men had taken the tops off their lamps, and called for Parliament to compel owners to ventilate their mines.
What's uncertain
Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.
- Five men were killed and two others badly burnt. (disputed) 3
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On Wednesday 6 August 1828 an explosion of firedamp in Croft Pit, Whitehaven, killed six. 1,2
- Five men were killed and two others badly burnt. (disputed) 3
- A sudden and extensive discharge of firedamp, more than the ventilation could carry off, spread into distant workings and was met and fired by the men. 4
- The Carlisle Journal blamed owners who sent men into such mines with only the Davy lamp for protection and called for the Legislature to compel ventilation. 3
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Firedamp (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On the evening of Wednesday 6 August 1828 a sudden discharge of firedamp in the Earl of Lonsdale's Croft Pit at Whitehaven spread into…”
Photographs & further reading
This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.
A Whitehaven report of the explosion, with the names of the dead.
View sourceThe Carlisle Journal's account and its attack on the owners.
View sourceSources
- (primary) Whitehaven Coast Archaeological Survey, including Appendix 3: Duke Pit fanhouse (Simon Chapman) — Cranstone Consultants and Ironbridge Archaeology, for the National Trust
- (primary) Durham Mining Museum - Whitehaven Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
- (primary) News, 12th August 1828 (Carlisle Journal) — Durham Mining Museum
- (primary) News, 19th August 1828 — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 3 October 2026 · Last researched: 4 October 2026